Sandtex Trade has moved swiftly to exploit the benefits of a new concept for the protection and decoration of exterior masonry, incorporating Hydro PLIOLITE® from Eliokem at the heart of its new high performance water-borne masonry coating, Hydrobond.

Hydrobond is currently the only product available in the UK to offer painters, specifiers and their clients the many benefits of EBS (Emulsified Binding System) technology.

Sandtex Trade has always been synonymous with both decoration and protection of exterior substrates exposed to the elements, and we are continuously searching for innovative ways to improve the efficacy and durability of our coatings. Through EBS technology, Sandtex Trade Hydrobond is now taking water-borne masonry coatings to a completely new level in terms of adhesion to the substrate, long-term durability, colour fastness and resistance to soiling.

So what exactly is the role of EBS in Hydrobond?

In short, it brings together water and solvent-borne technologies to deliver the environmental and application benefits of a water-borne masonry coating, but with the superior adhesion and long-term performance normally associated with a solvent-borne formulation. Our new coating owes its superior performance to an acrylic latex emulsion which is based on a Hydro PLIOLITE binder.

Conventional water-borne formulations consist of randomly dispersed solid resin particles suspended in water, which deform and bond to ‘sit’ as a layer on the surface of the substrate when the water evaporates. Hydrobond is not a simple dispersion but a true emulsion of droplets containing binder and solvent homogenously dispersed and stabilised in the suspension.

When these polymer particles begin to deform and fuse together as the coating dries, the binder is absorbed into the pores of the substrate through capillary action creating an exceptionally strong adhesive bond. The film remaining on the surface has the durability of a solvent-borne coating and is resistant to rainwater yet remains moisture vapour permeable allowing the substrate to ‘breathe’.

The ‘tape test’ below clearly shows the resulting adhesive strength of Hydrobond compared with that of a conventional water-borne masonry coating. When the heavy duty tape is peeled off the substrate, Hydrobond holds tight while conventional water-borne paint peels away.

This is no visual gimmick. In a real life situation the penetration of the binder into the substrate and the resistance of the surface film to soiling increases both long-term durability and performance of the coating as well as maintaining its clean appearance. Hydrobond has been awarded an anti-carbonation certificate and has been proved to protect concrete and masonry from the corrosive effects of carbon in the atmosphere.

Aesthetically, Sandtex Trade Hydrobond delivers a true mineral like finish, currently available in a range of 48 colourways (soon to be extended). Another significant benefit of the Hydro PLIOLITE® binder is that it increases longevity of the lightfast colourants used. The test results below show the minimal change in cyan colourant over a nine month period when incorporated into Hydrobond, compared with the fading which can occur with a conventional water-borne masonry paint.

All of these factors combine to offer the client valuable benefits in terms of extended maintenance cycles, long term appearance retention and subsequent cost reductions over the full life cycle.

The way in which Hydrobond is absorbed into the substrate helps the contractor too. The coating is effectively self-priming and there is no need to apply stabilising solution even on chalky problem substrates. Similarly, alkaline substrates do not pose any difficulties when Hydrobond is used. The contractor also benefits from working with a low VOC, low odour coating which is splatter free and easy to apply.

Last but by no means least, Hydrobond promises to extend the window of opportunity for exterior decorative and maintenance work to be carried out. The Hydro PLIOLITE binder enables this versatile product to be applied even when there is the threat of rain in the air and in conditions where conventional water-borne exterior coatings simply cannot be relied upon. In tests, Hydrobond’s rate of film formation remains stable at temperatures as low as 5oC at one extreme and at a relative humidity level of 90% at the other.